The present invention is directed to a method for producing a semiconductor component, e.g., a multilayer semiconductor component, and to a semiconductor component produced by this method, the semiconductor component having a mobile mass, i.e., an oscillator structure.
Some semiconductor components such as micromechanical acceleration sensors or rotational rate sensors in particular have a mobile mass, i.e., an oscillator structure. Such sensors are usually produced from polycrystalline silicon by surface micromechanics, the oscillator structure being created by etching away a sacrificial silicon oxide layer by gas phase etching so the oscillator structure is freely mobile.
Surface micromechanics for production of acceleration sensors or rotational rate sensors may be complex and therefore expensive. In comparison with an oscillator structure of monocrystalline silicon, it may be possible to produce oscillator structures of polycrystalline silicon with a greater range of variation in the mechanical properties. Furthermore, they may have inferior long-term stability.
The methods of producing such sensors by surface micromechanics are not generally compatible with the typical methods of producing semiconductor circuit elements.